Learning about Forest and Landscape Restoration in the Lower Songkhram River Basin
On May 4–5, 2025, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Thailand), in collaboration with the Si Songkhram District Office and the Forest Restoration Research Unit of Chiang Mai University (FORRU-CMU), organized an activity under the project “Protecting and Restoring Forest Landscapes in the Lower Songkhram River Basin.” The event featured a hands-on forest restoration training workshop focusing on principles, concepts, and practical exercises for the communities of Ban Yang Ngoi and Ban Sri Woenchai in Si Songkhram District, Nakhon Phanom Province.
Learning the Theory and Practice of Forest Restoration
On May 4, 2025, villagers from two communities from Ban Yang Ngoi and Ban Sri Woenchai participated in a learning activity on forest restoration. Associate Professor Dr. Prasit Wangpakapanwong delivered a lecture on the importance of forest ecosystems, methods for restoring degraded areas, and the use of framework tree species in forest restoration.
During the activity, the villagers showed strong interest in conservation approaches and the restoration of their community forests.
In the past, the area of Sri Songkhram District was rich in diverse native plant species that locals could utilize, such as Kra Bao, Samed, Sanun, Nham Taeng, Jang, and Tiew trees. However, the forest has become degraded over time, raising awareness among the villagers about the importance of forest restoration. They are now committed to actively participating in efforts to restore these natural areas.
In addition, the villagers participated in practical field activities, including learning from a reference forest, recording phenological data, collecting seed by using a sand ball technique from White Samet (Eugenia grata) and Yang Heang (Dipterocarpus obtusifolius Teijsm. ex Miq.), and preparing voucher specimen samples of tree species found in the Ban Yang Ngoi community forest.
Through these activities, the villagers gained knowledge and a deeper awareness of the importance of community forests, helping to promote the sustainable conservation of natural resources and forests.
Hands-on Field Practice
On May 5, 2025, villagers from Ban Yang Ngoi and Ban Sri Woenchai had the opportunity to learn about rapid site assessment methods to prepare for forest restoration. They were also introduced to tree planting techniques, maintenance and care of trees in restoration plots, and methods for monitoring tree growth within those plots.
In addition, the villagers learned about various steps involved in establishing and managing a tree nursery. This included nursery design, key nursery processes such as seed preparation and extraction, seed germination, seedling plotting, and caring for the seedling technique.
Throughout the activity, the villagers showed great interest in these processes and had the opportunity to engage in hands-on practice across several stages. Their participation reflected a strong commitment to contributing to the sustainable restoration of their community’s natural resources and ecosystems.
The large boom and tam forests seasonally flooded forest ecosystems in the wetland areas of the Lower Songkhram River Basin, Sri Songkhram District, Nakhon Phanom Province, have been designated as a Ramsar Site, recognized as Wetland of International Importance. It is the 2,420th Ramsar Site in the world and the 15th in Thailand.
This designation reflects the area’s rich biodiversity, which includes important species such as Dendrocalamus membranaceus (a type of bamboo) and Cephalanthus tetrandra (locally known as Chaiwan). The area is considered a vital natural resource of the Lower Songkhram River Basin.
The references:
Thai PBS. (2020, August 13). Restoring the Bung and Tam Forests of the "Songkhram River" as a Nursery Ground for Mekong Fish. Retrieved from https://www.thaipbs.or.th/news/content/295435
Arcadian Eco. (2025, March 29). Lower Songkhram River: An Ecosystem Worth Conserving. Retrieved from https://arcadianeco.com/2025/03/29/แม่น้ำสงครามตอนล่างระบบ/
